Okla. National Guard aviators returning from Afghanistan

Aug. 13, 2013 - 10:27AM
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LEXINGTON, OKLA. — The Oklahoma National Guard is welcoming home more than 50 Guard members as they return from deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A welcome home ceremony is planned this afternoon for Detachment 1, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 149th General Support Aviation Battalion of the Oklahoma Army National Guard. It will take place at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Lexington.

The battalion mobilized in mid-September 2012 and deployed overseas a few weeks later. The detachment provided combat air ambulances to commanders on the ground in Afghanistan.

This was the third combat deployment for the Guard battalion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. In 2004 and 2005, it deployed to Afghanistan, and in 2008 and 2009, it was deployed to Iraq.